Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Police Sergeant Claims Badges DO Grant Extra Rights!

This video was shared with the CopBlock Network by Tyler Wayne, via the CopBlock.org Submissions Page. It shows Tyler’s conversation with a Myrtle Beach police officer name Sgt. Richardson. There’s nothing particularly outrageous about this video. The Sergeant is somewhat insulting toward Tyler at times and arrogant, but for the most part he maintains a fairly polite manner and doesn’t threaten him physically.

However, there are several interesting aspects to the conversation contained within the video. In short, Sgt. Richardson very clearly feels that badges should grant extra rights. The initial question about the parking is really more of a matter of principle than a huge rights violation or act of corruption. Why should police be able to just arbitrarily park wherever they want when they would want to engage in some Revenue Generation if they saw you do the same thing? Plus, his excuse for needing to do so was pretty shallow.

According to Richardson, if he had to arrest someone it would be unreasonable for him to have to “parade” someone through the parking lot. The problem with that is you can rather clearly see that if he parked in the front section of the parking area it would simply be a matter of crossing the street. That would maybe constitute an extra twenty feet and that’s being generous in the estimate.

Also something the sergeant mentions within that conversation is that he is working under a contract for the movie theater and is only “hired” there on weekends. So, in other words, he’s been hired through the department to perform private security for that business. That brings into question whether he’s even on duty at the time. Regardless of whether he’s on the clock for the city or moonlighting, he’s working for a private company and not performing official police duties.

Screenshot_2016-06-05-12-11-17Screenshot_2016-06-05-12-11-17Beyond that, the legal exception for parking in fire zones for emergency vehicles is in fact usually restricted during a response to an actual emergency. Furthermore, it’s not a question of whether those with badges wrote on a piece of paper that they get to have extra rights that is in question. The question is whether they should be afforded those extra rights.

It’s rather obvious that Sgt. Richardson believes they do. that’s evidenced not just by the parking issue, but by his reference to the fact that South Carolina does not allow the open carrying of pistols. At one point in the video, he references that he is allowed to wear a holstered pistol openly as one of those extra rights his employment affords him. And he seems rather proud of that fact.

Previously, Tyler submitted a video of himself being detained by a Darlington County Sheriff’s Deputy to the CopBlock Network in March of this year.

Date of Incident: June 4, 2016
Officer involved: Sergeant Richardson Badge #D27
Department Involved: Myrtle Beach (SC) Police Department
Complaint No.: Office of Professional Standards – (843) 918-1330/(843) 918-1382
Sheriff Philip L. Thompson: (843) 915-5450
Facebook Page: Myrtle Beach Police
Address: Ted C. Collins Law Enforcement Center, 1101 North Oak Street, Myrtle Beach, SC, 29578

I was visiting the mall in Myrtle Beach (Horry County) with my girlfriend. When we left I noticed a police officer parked in a “no parking zone”. I decided to record a short video for Instagram. After recording the first clip, I stood by the vehicle hoping the officer would come out so I could ask for his name and badge number.

He came out quickly with his business card ready. We then had a discussion, if you will, about parking laws, open carry, and unmarked police vehicles.

At one point I asked if he believed that badges granted extra rights and he responded with “when I’m on duty, yes”.

– Tyler Wayne

Incidentally, if you want to support Tyler’s future efforts to film the police in the Myrtle Beach area, you can do so by donating to the Citizens for Police Accountability GoFundMe page.

Source Article from http://www.copblock.org/161155/myrtle-beach-south-carolina-police-sergeant-claims-badges-do-grant-extra-rights/

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